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Princeton University Athletics
Julie Shackford Named Mid-Atlantic Coach Of The Year
December 07, 2004 | Women's Soccer
Dec. 7, 2004
Julie Shackford, who guided the 2004 Princeton Tigers to the greatest season in Ivy League women's soccer history, has been named Mid-Atlantic Regional Coach of the Year by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America.
Shackford joins the other five regional winners as finalists for the national coach of the year award, which will be announced in early January. Shackford is the only female coach among the six finalists.
Princeton finished the 2004 ranked fourth in the final NSCAA poll, which was released Tuesday afternoon as well. Notre Dame was ranked first, followed by UCLA, Santa Clara, Princeton and North Carolina.
"We at Princeton are delighted by the recognition that Julie has received," said Princeton Director of Athletics Gary Walters. "As testimony to her abilities, she is as good a coach off the soccer field as she is on it. She and her team had an extraordinary season." Under Shackford's guidance, Princeton went 19-3 and reached the NCAA Final Four last weekend. No Ivy League women's soccer team had ever reached the Final Four prior to this season, and no Ivy League women's soccer team has ever won more games in a season. In addition, the 2004 Princeton women's soccer team became the first Ivy League team in any sport to reach the Final Four of a 64-team NCAA tournament.
Princeton outscored its opponents 58-11 for the season, including 24-3 while going a perfect 7-0-0 in the Ivy League. No Ivy school has ever scored more goals in a league season.
Shackford's team featured the Ivy League Player of the Year, Esmeralda Negron, and the Ivy League Rookie of the Year, Diana Matheson, both of whom were first-team All-Mid-Atlantic Region selections. The All-America teams will be announced later this month. In all Princeton had four first-team All-Ivy selections, seven All-Ivy selections, two Academic All-Ivy seelctions and two District Academic All-Americas.
Shackford reached the 100-win mark at Princeton in the second game of the season, becoming the fifth coach in league history - and first woman - to reach 100 wins at an Ivy school. She is also the second-fastest coach in league history to reach 100 wins. She ended the season with a 117-52-10 record in 10 seasons at Princeton.
The other regional winners were: Mark Francis, Kansas (Central Region); Randy Waldrum, Notre Dame (Great Lakes Region); Rudy Meredith, Yale (Northeast Region), Robbie Church, Duke, South Region; and Dan Tobias, Arizona, (West Region).